NATIONAL PARKS AND RESERVES

Here you can find important information about some of the most beautiful National Parks and Reserves of Ecuador.travel

Machalilla National Park - Cotopaxi National Park - Chimborazo Forest Reserve - Cajas National Park - Petrified Forest of Puyango - Podocarpus National Park - Yasuni National Park - Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve - Galapagos National Park

YASUNÍ NATIONAL PARK

YASUNÍ NATIONAL PARK
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Situated in the provinces: Pastaza and Napo
Created in: July 1979
Size: 982000 ha - 2426488.75 acres
Altitudinal Rank: 300 - 600 meters
Admission fee: US $10

Description of the zone:

The geomorphology of the park is characterized by an endless succession of small hills which have been created by rivers in the course of millenniums.
This zone is the natural habitat for a plenty number of animals and plants. On one hectare we can find 200 tree species. On the station US-FQ we can find 70 different types of bats and 3 million insects.

The park is crossed by the Napo, Yasuní, Tiputini, Nashiño and Cononaco rivers, and various branches of the Curaray River on the southern border of the park.

In the park there are two kinds of water: white and black, each one has its own flora and fauna. All along the Tiputini River you can profit from and spectacular view of monkeys’ families, birds, giant otters, jaguars, caimans, anacondas and others on its wild life.
The zone where the park is located can be classified as tropical rainforest. Within this zone, it is possible to differentiate 3 types of forests: the firm land, not inundated, that is located at the high part of the hills; the forest that is periodically inundated, and the permanently inundated forest.
A little part of the park is inhabited by several Huaorani indigenous families who have lived within the park boundaries for generations.

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CUYABENO WILDLIFE RESERVE

CUYABENO WILDLIFE RESERVE
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Situated in the provinces: Sucumbíos, and a small part in Napo
Created in: July, 1979
Size: 603.358,60 ha – 1.490.931,56 acres
Altitudinal Rank: 200 - 280 meters
Admission fee: US $15

Description of the zone

The main objective of the Cuyabeno Reserve is to protect the zone as a sample of the Amazonian ecosystem, which is the most complex of the world.

This protected area is characterized by its incredibly biodiversity and the interaction between species. The geomorphology of the reserve is the result of the movement of material transported by the rivers from the Andes to the Amazon basin, specially by the Aguarico river – which is navigable throughout the year.
A variety of canoe and hiking tours are offered in the Reserve providing excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. All along the park it can be seen several species of monkey, birds, caimans, piranhas, turtles, and conga ants. Some times, freshwater dolphins, giant armadillos, anacondas, and manatees are observed.
In addition, on the Cuyabeno Reserve there are 14 spectacular lagoons created by lowland rainforest floods. This lagoons are typically visited during the wet season. One of the most beautiful is the “Laguna Grande”.
On this zone there have lived for thousands of years the Siona, Secoya and Cofan indigenous communities. Today, members of this communities work as travel guides that let us learn more about the beauties of this land, and the way in which its inhabitants spend their land and their customs.
You can profit from the magnificent biodiversity of the Cuyabeno Reserve by having a canoe trip all along the several rivers that cross the area. There are also day and night walks, that include birds, insects and dolphins watching.

To get to Cuyabeno from Quito you can take a bus Quito-Lago Agrio (from 6 to 8 hours) or a plane (half hour). From Lago Agrio to Tarapoa (Cuyabeno bridge) it takes almost two hours, and to the Laguna Grande it takes two or three hours on canoe.

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